The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-13
MENAGERIE MEALS.
HOW THE ANIMALSI IN A BIG CIR
Gus ARE FED.
Big Chunks OF Meat, Tons of Hay and
Barrels of Water Slowed
Away The Elephants
Dainty Method.

ant, fearful. 1t proved that captivity
had not injured his vocal organs. judy
ing from the effect, he certainly knew
how to locate his tones. Then he yawned
and showed a very open countcnancc and
some very suggestive teeth, and also per-
mitted q very brief glance into the red
cavern from whence came the roar. He
sat upon his massive launches, dignitied
and kingly, and looked out of his glorious
eyes at the people who had paid fifty
cents to see him without winking. Sud
denly his nostrils dilated. There was
something in the wind. That something
was the scent of blood which lurked in
the fibres of a tifteen-pound chunk of raw
beef. A man in check jumper came
toward the cage, carrying pail contain,
ing four of these chunks. The proud
beast forgot his dignity and moved un-
easily about the front of his cage, lashing
his tawny sides with the paint-brush tuft
at the end of his tail. The fifteen-pound
chunk of beef was lifted on the tines of
o big fork and thrust between the bars of
the cage. His royal highness grabbed
it between his mighty forepaws; but
he couldn't pull the meat into
the cage because there was big
bone in it. Then he laid down. Hold
ing on to the meat with one paw, he
thrust the other paw out through the bars
and tried to push the meat inside. When
he found that his efforts were in vain he
lay still and uttered sub-cellar growl,
which indicated that he meant business.
The man in the check jumper Came to his
relief with the big fork. After good
deal of prying and thrusting, the meat
was released and the regal gourmand
licked it with his great red tongue. Then
he bit about pound of meat and bone
off one corner and crunchcd it between
his iron jaws. He partly closed his eyes
in evident delight US the generous juices
ran over his palate. After eating all the
meat he licked the bone as clean as bran
new milk pan; then he licked his chops,
and lastly, his paws. After this general
clear-up he looked - his keeper as if to
say:
"Old fellow, that trife only whets my
'Come over in this corner and see the
sea lions take dinner" said Tody Hamil-
ton.
The two black, glistening animals were
over each other in their tank,
aud uttering curious, impatient barks at
the delay CT the man whose duty ii was
to throw thirty pounds of smclts, herring,
or other fresh fish to them each day.
When the caterer arrived he dcxterously
threw whole fish into the tank. which
were caught in the air by the sea lions.
and Swallowed whole at gulp.
The big grizzly bear, most magniti-
cent specimen of the Americanus gigan-
ticus, was engaged in scratching the back
of his neck with one of Ii 5 shind feet when
the little Poonah bear, who is his cage
mate, told him the dinner hour had come
by his significant ritf. The grizzly could
not have been We lngry, for he clasped
the Poonoh in ..sndly embrace, which
must have started the little bears ribs, it
was so very cordial.
That's nothing" said Mr.. Hamilton;
eff you will notice the under side cf the
little fellow you will sec that his fur has
been removed entirely by those little at
tentions of the grizzly. It's fun for the
big fellow. The trouble is that he don't
realized his strength"
The two bears disposed of their shares
of beef in jiffy. On five days i'll the
week all the carnivora are fed on beef.
Each Saturday their diet is varied by an
equal amount of liver. The liver is said
tohave beneficial effect in regulating the
health of the animals The hyenas were
fed with rations out of hand by the keeper,
and they acted very respectfully consider
ing their unsavory regulations. Of all the
those of the cat species behave
the worst while feeding. The native
ferocity of the royal Bengal tiger-and
she is beauty, with tawny hide marked
with black stripes-came to the surface
as she dallied with her bloody piece of
beef. Her glistening eye, sinewy move
mcnts, and the snakelike suggestivencss
of her slowly-moving tail were infallible
indications that captivity might blunt but
could never eradicate her desire for blood.
She has gained the distinction of having
killed her man, but her appetite is keen
every morning and renewed every even
ing. The panthers, iaguars, and Wild
cats all share alike in the amount Of
food, and all exhibit an equally ferocious
appetite. The monkeys are fed on milk,
bread, and vegetables. They are not at
all aycrse to a succulent onion now and
81 ~ -, Golf
Of the herbiverous animals, the hippo
potamus comes first in the amount con-
sumed. This blood-sweating monster cats
about half bale of hay each day, with an
occasional dessert in the shape of bran
mash, carrots, cabbage, etc., and he
drinks half a hogshead of water, and
still he's thirsty. But of all the animals
none can compare with the elephant for
the dignitied case and grace with which
he cnvirons his grub. His wonderful ten
si!e trunk twists wisp of hay out of a
BALE curls it up as daintily as lady
would twist her cambric handkerchief,
and thrusts it upward and inward into
his mouth with ddintiness which is in
comparable They drink i'll pairs. These
mountains of flesh march along to the big
tank with a stately dignity and dccorum
which conveys the idea that they realize
they are the biggest things in the flesh.
They are in no hurry about drinking,
either. Everything in the neighborhood
of the tank must he touched; even the
dydrant is carefully examined by the scn-
sitivc trunk The ordinary everyday clc-
phant takes snittcr of two gallons at
first, and keeps On repeating the dose un-
til he is outside of ircm eight TO ten buck
etfuls. Then he goes back to his place
among his twenty-nine companions, and
resumes his hay, if it is hay day; is not,
he eats an occasional cabbage, or carrot,